Tower of Terror is becoming harder to spot at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has anchored Sunset Boulevard since 1994. Standing 199 feet tall, the Hollywood Tower Hotel remains one of the most recognizable structures at Walt Disney World and an important part of the Hollywood Studios skyline.
Its appearance is intentionally worn. Faded paint, damaged walls, exposed brickwork, balconies, railings, and other aging details help sell the attraction’s story of an abandoned 1930s hotel frozen in time after a mysterious lightning strike.
Most of that exterior is now hidden.
Disney Covers Almost Entire Tower of Terror
Scaffolding now stretches across nearly the entire front of Tower of Terror as Disney continues an extensive exterior refurbishment.
By September 11, the framework had climbed from the lower sections of the Hollywood Tower Hotel to the highest portions of the building, obscuring much of the facade normally visible from Sunset Boulevard.
Tower of Terror is now nearly completely covered in scaffolding:
Tower of Terror is now nearly completely covered in scaffolding: pic.twitter.com/OqQBjV5ZB3
— Mattlegostar (@Mattlegostar2) September 11, 2026
The scale of the project has grown steadily throughout the year.
Work began around the attraction’s outdoor queue in May. Flags were later removed near the gift shop exit, while scrims and scaffolding started appearing around sections of the building.
By July, scaffolding had spread above Tower Hotel Gifts. The project expanded significantly during August, when crews began working across more of the hotel’s front-facing exterior.
Sections of the facade have since been primed and repainted. Decorative friezes, railings, balconies, and other details have been among the areas receiving attention, while fresh pink paint has appeared across parts of the building.
By late August, scaffolding had reached above the large Hollywood Tower Hotel sign.
The work continued into September, with additional scaffolding wrapping around the right side of the tower shaft. Protective coverings have also appeared over windows and other architectural features while crews work around them.
Tower of Terror scaffolding has grown immensely, covering much of the front. Both sides of shaft doors still open and close
Tower of Terror scaffolding has grown immensely, covering much of the front. Both sides of shaft doors still open and close pic.twitter.com/yFYMGB7Rkp
— RockNstardust🎸✨ (@CoasterK24) August 9, 2026
Despite the dramatic appearance, Tower of Terror remains open.
Disney has left space around the attraction’s elevator openings, allowing the shaft doors to continue operating and preserving the brief view outside that riders experience during the attraction.
There is also no indication that Disney is changing the ride’s Twilight Zone storyline or randomized drop sequence.
The project instead appears focused on refreshing the heavily themed exterior of the Hollywood Tower Hotel, which has been exposed to Florida weather for more than three decades.
Disney has not announced when the refurbishment will be completed.
Tower of Terror Faces an Important Holiday Season
The lack of a completion date is becoming increasingly notable as Hollywood Studios approaches its Christmas celebrations.
Tower of Terror plays a major role in the park’s holiday entertainment because the Hollywood Tower Hotel becomes the backdrop for Sunset Seasons Greetings.
The nighttime experience uses projections to transform the tower with Christmas imagery and seasonal scenes after dark.
Disney has confirmed that Sunset Seasons Greetings will return during the 2026 holiday season, putting additional focus on how long the current scaffolding remains in place.
Tower of Terror will also operate during Disney Jollywood Nights.
The separately ticketed holiday event returns to Hollywood Studios on select nights from November 7, 2026, through January 5, 2027, with the attraction included among the rides scheduled to remain open during the event.
That gives Disney less than two months before the first Jollywood Nights event.
The company has not said whether all scaffolding will be removed before then, nor has it announced any changes to Sunset Seasons Greetings because of the ongoing refurbishment.
